Chris Sale is set to take the mound for his sixth career Opening Day start, marking his first with the Atlanta Braves. The NL East powerhouses are heading west to kick off their season with a four-game series against the San Diego Padres.
The last time Sale started on Opening Day was in 2019, a performance best left unmentioned. However, the positive takeaway is that he’s coming off another healthy offseason and a productive spring training, which bodes well for his upcoming campaign. When Sale is healthy, he remains one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, and if he can maintain his health, he should continue to thrive.
Against the Padres, Sale will look to build on his previous success. Last season, just before the All-Star break, he pitched five innings against San Diego, allowing only one run while striking out four and walking two. Although it wasn’t his most dominant outing, he still managed to keep the opposition in check. Earlier in the season, on May 20, Sale was even more impressive, tossing seven shutout innings with nine strikeouts. In total, his 2024 performances against the Padres resulted in 12 innings pitched, 13 strikeouts, nine hits allowed, two walks, and just one run surrendered—a level of dominance the Braves would love to see repeated in 2025.
On the other side, the Padres will counter with Michael King, who will also aim to replicate past success. While King didn’t face the Braves during the 2024 regular season, he played a crucial role against them in the postseason. His performance in the 2024 NL Wild Card Series was one the Braves would prefer to forget.
King’s pitching style presents a challenge for Atlanta’s lineup. The Braves consistently rank among the top teams in average exit velocity and hard-hit percentage, according to StatCast. However, King excelled in limiting hard contact last season, ranking in the 99th percentile in average exit velocity against and the 97th percentile in hard-hit percentage against. If both pitchers are at their best, this Opening Day matchup could turn into a low-scoring duel.
Batters may take time to adjust to the pitchers, and with limited experience against each other, both lineups will face early hurdles. Yet, unpredictability is part of baseball. Jurickson Profar could make a splash in his return to San Diego, or the Padres could rediscover their power-hitting “Slam Diego” form. The possibilities make Opening Day so exciting.
The Braves will look to start their season with a victory, aiming to build momentum right from the first game. While an undefeated 162-0 season is unrealistic, it all starts with going 1-0. With Sale on the mound, Atlanta hopes to begin their 2025 campaign in the win column.
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